NATCHITOCHES — The Northwestern State men's basketball team hopes the final week of 2025 is among the most wonderful times of the year.

The Demons return to Mike McConathy Court at Prather Coliseum on Monday at 6:30 p.m. to host Lamar in Northwestern's Southland Conference home opener.

The game will air on ESPN+ and can be heard on The Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches.

Northwestern (3-8, 1-1) enters the matchup riding momentum after closing its non-conference schedule with a dominant 108–55 victory over Southern-New Orleans on Dec. 20, their final game ahead of Christmas break.

"Our guys have been getting after it in practice," third-year head coach Rick Cabrera said. "I told them before Christmas break, 'It's easier to get out of shape than to get in shape.' Just be prepared when you get back after three days, because your body's not going to respond the same way. It took them a couple of practices to get after it, but our guys are really locked in and ready to play somebody else."

Ahead of the break, the Demons turned in one of their most complete performances of the season, showcasing depth, defensive pressure, and balanced scoring throughout the lineup.

Sophomore guard Justin Redmond led the way with a career-high 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while senior Micah Thomas matched him with 20 points of his own.

It marked the first time two Demons reached the 20-point mark in the same game since March 6, 2024, when Justin Wilson and Chase Forte accomplished the feat against East Texas A&M.

The win also highlighted Northwestern's depth, as every Demon who saw the floor scored for the first time this season. The bench played a key role, pouring in a season-high 53 points to fuel the lopsided result.

Monday's contest brings a familiar Southland foe to Natchitoches.

Lamar (5-6, 0-2) arrives following an 85–82 overtime loss to Omaha on Dec. 20, a game in which the Cardinals mounted a second-half rally that ultimately came up short. That was the fourth of four straight losses for the Cardinals.

"They're coming off a tough stretch of four straight losses," Cabrera said. "This is a really good basketball team. I think they return the most minutes in the league. I think we were second. When it comes to conference play, I think they'll be a lot better. We need to strap on our seatbelts and be ready to go."

Offensively, Lamar is paced by junior Rob Lee Jr., who averages 15.2 points per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the field.

On the defensive end, the Cardinals rely on their interior presence, ranking 16th nationally in blocks per game (5.7), led by Andrew Holifield's 2.3 blocks per contest, along with the perimeter pressure of Cody Pennebaker, who averages 2.1 steals per game.

"Holifield is playing with elite confidence right now," Cabrera said. "He plays with a high motor. Coach (Alvin) Brooks is a phenomenal coach. I think is the best coach in the league for his consistency and what he demands of his players."

The matchup continues a closely contested series between the Demons and the Cardinals.

Lamar holds a narrow edge in the all-time series and has won four straight meetings over the past two seasons, including a sweep last year.

Both programs have experienced extended runs of success against one another. The Demons claimed five straight wins from Jan. 5, 2013, to Jan. 17, 2015, before Lamar responded with a five-game streak from Jan. 16, 2016, to Feb. 13, 2019.

With recent history adding extra weight to the matchup, Northwestern looks to build on its momentum and defend home court as it continues conference play against a familiar Southland rival as it plays the first of 20 straight conference games to close out the regular season.

"These games matter," Cabrera said. "It's all about winning right now. I'm glad we get to start at home, and hopefully we take care of home court. With our two conference games we played, we've been preaching the importance of how much these games matter. It's about winning these games. The getting better part – of course you always have to get better every day in practice and every game – that language is for the non-conference. Everything we do is about winning."